SHOWMAN AND HIS SNAKES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12930, 7 December 1912, Page 3

SHOWMAN AND HIS SNAKES.

(Special to Herald.)

CHRISTCHURCH, this day

A fire btttke out in a -shed .situated at the rear of ihe Criterion Hotel at Gore at about four o'clock yesterday morning, and completely demolished the outhotuse' in which it originated. The flaxbes were localised in such a way that no .further damage was don-e. The circumstances connected with the outbreak are? peculiar. One bf : the itinerant shdkrmeh who' follow the cycle of sum-, mel snows possessed two snakes. "This wild man, deep down in his dungeon where he cannot hurt you, loves his snakes, but he devours them." Thus ran the confidential announcement which enticed big husiness at various, shows. "Whether the devouring operation was carried out can be testified to only by those who paid their shillings, and "stepped tip." It will, be seen, therefore, that the two snakes were a valuable portion of the stock-in-trade of the voracious "wild man." After surviving several devouring processes, on Thursday the snakes were put to bed in a shed at the back of the Criterion Hotel. To ensure their comfort a kerosene lamj y** placed close by. It is understood th 7- this lamp caured the outbreak of fire. Anyhow all that remains of the ena_c~ are two elongated strips of charcoal. "*"'© loss to the showman- with the qua-Tit appetite will be a serious one, and his troubles are increased by reason of his having entered into a bopd with the Customs authorities that the reptiles would be taken out of the country. Proof will, of course, have to fee furnished that the aforesaid strips of 'c , »r»«oal are identical with the wriggling pier -■■■■_/ animation which were produced \7»: n the bond was executed.